Out of Curiosity
by DixonVixen93
Summary: AU Serenity: Prequel to Striving towards the impossible, Goes into depth about how Rayne came to be.


**Hey Everyone! I know that it's been a while since I said I would write a Prequel to "Striving towards the impossible"; but I finally have it done after weeks of contemplating on the perfect way to word this.**

**This will be taking place just a couple weeks after they are back aboard Serenity from Miranda. And of course, Book and Wash lived.**

**This is centered on the River/Jayne forming relationship.**

**I do not own Firefly or any characters, I am just a writer that spends way too much of her spare time thinking about a fictional show (But it'll always be real to us, right guys?)**

Up. Breathe.

Down. Breathe.

Repeat.

These were the rhythmic patterns River recognized as the Ape-Man bench pressed. The genius watched closely as she thought of what her first form of action would be.

The first key point to her game.

Her game that is vital to her relationship with Jayne.

Jayne fascinated River. He treats her differently than the rest.

The rest are nice, very nice. But she feels she is treated too loosely, like something dangerous.

Not Jayne- Jayne calls her crazy and Moonbrain. Although these words are hurtful, River seeks out these words, wondering why he is different than he others. Different is good.

"What is you looking at crazy?" Jayne said putting the weight back on the stand.

"She isn't looking, she's watching. Watching before the game commences." River replied sitting down on the ground.

"I 'aint playing no game with a Moonbrain." Jayne said roughly.

"He has no choice. It's all apart of a series of questions that plagues one's thoughts. And answering them." River said rising from the floor and walking closer to Jayne; "Curiosity killed the cat. This cat sees the mistakes the others made." She stood ahead of him and looked him in eyes; "This cat will succeed."

Jayne watched as she slinked away, what had just happened? Did he just freeze up on River like that?

"_Must've been some voodoo mind control the crazy girl used, yeah that's what happened!" _Jayne convinced himself.

The merc tried to convince himself over and over again that River was just crazy. This would be a daily thing, she would appear somewhere he would be alone at, and she would study his actions towards her. Although normally that thoughts of others stumble upon her, River uses her gift to her advantage on Jayne's thoughts.

Much to Jayne's 'supposed' dismay, River would even check up on him during her sleepless nights.

At first, Jayne was kind of annoyed that she was interrupting his sleep, until the night she came in without gaming plans in mind. The merc was peacefully minding his own business when he heard the latch to his door open, along with the sound of a whimper.

Jayne got up and followed the sound to find River in tears.

"What are ya doin' in 'ere?" Jayne asked, shocked at the concern in his own voice.

River sniffled; "The voices wouldn't stop." she started out in a whisper.

"What voices are ya talkin' bout girl?" Jayne asked sitting back down on his bed.

"In her head. The constant sound of swirling voices crack up on the side of her head." River paused; "It wont stop!" She sobbed in to the wall.

Jayne rushed over to the distraught girl and put his hand over her mouth and led her to sit down. If the doctor heard his sister crying, he'd come in there and Jayne'd be meeting that air lock once again. No matter how much he tried to deny it- and he had- he was starting to care more and more about River.

"Why'd ya come up in 'ere anyways?" Jayne asked, he had rested his back against the wall and his pillow, River followed suit sitting beside him.

"She thought he could help the voices stop." River said bringing her hands up to her head.

"What am I 'posed to do girl I 'aint one for comfort." Jayne siad placing his hands behind his head.

River cut her eyes over at Jayne; "He is for her."

Jayne practically flailed at her words; "Ya don't know whatcha talkin' bout Moonbrain."

River shook her head sideways; She knows Jayne doesn't think like the others. Eggshells are being walked on they think. Time bomb.. Tick. Tock. Boom!" she cried.

What she did next surprised Jayne, she curled up into a fetal like ball and rested against his side.

Jayne did a double take; "What're ya doing?" he asked looking down at her.

"Resting here. She likes Jayne. She knows he wont mind." River said resting her head on his side.

At this point, Jayne didn't care, he was just so tired.

Normally at this point, Jayne would see her grin and get up to walk away, or say something but still walk away. Not tonight though, tonight, River finally finished the last stage of her game before going to her final attempts to uncarve the masterpiece that is Jayne Cobb.

"That go se brother of yours will have a million ruttin' cows if he sees ya 'ere in tha mornin'" Jayne grumbled.

"She doesn't care. He helps the bad thoughts be anchored," River squirmed a bit before she continued; "If she goes, bad thoughts come back. Come back to haunt her!" she cried into Jayne's side.

"Hey now I'm here. Aint no bad thoughts gonna get ya. Dong ma?" Jayne said looking down at the distraught girl.

"He promises?" River lifted her head up to look at Jayne with her tear-streaked face.

"Well yeah. For such a genius ya sure are slow sometimes." Jayne said keeping his eyes on River.

"She is confused. She moves with the same pace as the rest of the crew, how can she be slow? Slow in the mind maybe? But she has a quick intellectual level, so that couldn't be it either." River ranted, soon making her speech slur into a insane babble.

Jayne would have normally turned away at this point, shooing her away. But tonight, he couldn't. He wanted to - dare he say- explain to her?

"Nah crazy Moonbrain!" I just mean your not catching the big picture here. I aint gonna get cha in harms way." Jayne said truthfully.

"She thanks for the kind words of Ape-Man Jayne." River said.

"Hey I aint no Ape Man so stop calling me that!" Jayne snapped.

"Just as she isn't a 'Moonbrain' or a 'Crazy girl'. Fair is fair in the games we play Jayne." River siad with a slight tease in her voice.

"What kind of games do ya keep talkin' bout cra- err River?: Jayne asked

River said not a word but she knew what she had to do next. She knew that he would not make a move on his own, so she would have to. It's the final step before she could finally prove that Jayne is right for her.

What happened next, Jayne really wasn't expecting. River leaned forward and planted a full kiss on his lips. Before she scattered away like Jayne thought she would do, he would have to think fast. Being the man he is, he decided he wouldn't think twice about the invitation.

"Ya sure this is what ya want girl?" He asked.

"Yes. The manipulating variable made a breakthrough causing the scientist to come to conclusion with her theory. " River said flatly.

"I have no idea what you just said but ok." Jayne said with a sheepish grin as he filled in the gap of space between their lips.

Once they broke apart, Jayne and River lingered at each other's mouths for a moment before coming together and back again.

Jayne knew he was falling for this girl, each and every day it surprised him at how much of those feelings River can bring out in him. Now was just the highlight of it all.

Unfortunately for the pair, there were more repercussions about their relationship. If one was to be started now, it was known to them to keep it a secret.

Suddenly River sat up as her eyes frantically searched the room; "He's searching…. He's coming!" she cried.

"What cha going on about now?" Jayne asked looking at River in confusion.

"Simon… If he sees,,,, If he sees.." River said backing into the corner, once again wrapping her arms around her legs; "Later he will… not now." she continued, regaining some of her composure.

Jayne knew Simon would tell Mal if he saw his mei-mei in here with merc. Even though he would like to see where this would take them, he knew everyone would have something to say about the River and Jayne relationship.

"She must go now. Be back before brother." River said before kissing Jayne on the cheek once and rushing away.

"Women." Jayne grumbled under his breath as he turned on his side to fall asleep.

For those next couple of weeks, their relationship stayed that of a secret, but it strengthened with each and every moment they spent together.

**Alright, I really hope you all enjoyed this! Please review!**


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